The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-01-16
GRANT IN PEACE.


Sumner had hoped to be Secretary Of State
under Grant His anticipatons, indeed, began
EARLIER STILL It was positively arranged at the
time Of the Impeachment Of Andrew johnson
that ne was to have the State department IL
Wade had gone into the Presidency and even
under Lincoln there was an occasion when he
expected to supplant Seward He thought him
self especially fit for the post and if acquire
ment and ornate eloquence were the prime req
uisites for a Secretary of State he might have
filed the position with a certain degree of brill
fancy.
But though, with Summers consent, his friends
pressed his name for the first position in the
Cabinet, Grant never for moment entertained
the idea of appointing him. There was, indeed,
little congruity between the plain and almost
rugged soldier, used to war and actual strife, to
directing armies and planning campaigns, and
the polished rhetorician. the elaborate student
of phrases, the man of the closet, the Senate
and of society. Sumner always felt
perhaps with many others-that the
career of the soldier should have closed
with the war Arma cedant tognwas always in
their hearts if not upon their lips. Chase, and
Seward, and Stanton, and some of their success
sors, felt themselves better equipped in the arts
of craftsmanship than they believed any mere
warrior could be, and they were undoubtedly
jealous of the civic honors given to those who
they thought should have been content with mil
itary renown. But the people did not agree with
them. 1t was foregone conclusion from the
close Of the war that Grant should be the next
President In all ages the successful commander
Ii the most generally popular Of the asprants
for public favor, and in Grants case the highest
honors of the State were absolutely pressed upon
him. not only unsousht but at hist undesired.
Sumner was slow in accepting the situation,
but he finally fell into line and made speech
Or two in favor Of Grant during the presidential
canvass of 1863 After this he expected the APP
pointment to the State Department. The world
SHOWS that he was disappointed in his expecta-
siona Still at first. Grant had high apprecia-
sioa OF Summers character and ability They
had not been thrown together intimately but
Grant admired the steadfast position of the anti
slavery champiors JUST as he always admired
steadiness, whether in friend or foe. He believed
in Summers scholarship. which he had heard OF.
but could not verify; he fancied that Sumner
was statesman, and he felt the remains of the
indignation which burst out all over the North
after the dastardly attack of Brooks, that ele
waited the victim into martyr.
Sumner had been for years on intimate terms
with Fish; had dined at Fishs house weekly
while they were together in the Senate; and had
been a constant visitor at Fish's homes In town
md country in New York. Fish had seen Sum-
ner often in Paris while he lay suffering from
the blows received in tbs Senate chamber. Thus
when Fish entered the Cabinet he naturally
turned to his old associate and friend, who had
been more lately familiar with high politics than
himself; for Fish had been out of the public SER
Ice for twelve years, while Sumner was at that
TINA chairman of the Senate committee on for
sgn affairs. The official relations of the two
brought them at once into close companionship
Before Grants administration was three months
old Motley was sent to England TO please Sum-
ner, without whose interposition he would at
most have been returned to Vienna.
But almost imme iiately Summers dictatorial
disposition and imperious behavior began to
make trouble. The Clarendon johnson treaty
Was still before the Senate when Grant became
President and, without consulting the admins
traton, Sumner made his famous speech in
April, 1862 in which he claimed that the war
had been doubled in duration" by the English
''intervention,e and that ENGLAND was respon-
Sible for the additional expenditure" this country
thus incurred. From Summers position in the
Senate, and his well-known personal relations
with Fish, the country would have a right to
presume that these views were shared by the
administration, and this speech at once COM
PEELED the President and the Secretary of State to
consider and define their own position It was
a. IT, e. =
though England had been most unfriendly in hel
prompt recognition of Southern belligerency
she was yet within her rights as an indie
pendent nation IN making the recognition. and
they were far from maintaining that she " as
responsible for all the subsequent or conseque n
bal damages When, therefore, Summers view
was presented to the administration by Motley
IS the basis for his own instructions, it was
neces sarily rejected. AT this Sumner became
,--; INDIGNANT and, a; times. almost offensive
In Behavior. He Considered the rejection q per
shnal slight to himself. and threatened, as have
already stated, to tell Motley to resign. Never
thefess, for while he retained show Of
amcable relations with the government.
| remember that l dined with him a
night or two before I left Washington to
accompany Motley to England. and he was IL
high spirits, though fancy he had no
Then seen Motey5 nnal Instructions, whcl
were Only concluded at the last moment ant
reached the minister just as he was about to sail
Sumner wrote me while was in England
aiffuse letter defending himself against the criti
cisins Of his former English friends, who were al
very indignant at the position he had assumed
He gave me leave to use the letter. and some
times tried to explain to one or two what seeme
to them most offensive in his views; but wit
little success.
Ireturned to Washington four months later
n nd fh,a win 10 Of Tc
S.ingo came up. / was never taken into tn
confidence of those who originated that scheme
and know no more of il than the public knows
The President once or twice spoke of
to me, and expressed desire for tn
ratification of the treaty, and | wrote one 0
two articles in favor of it for the newspapers
because it was an administration measure.
learned the general arguments that were offere